for the love of all baked goods

Wild Rice and Onion Bread

I just realized that it is the end of the month and I never wrote up this post! I actually baked it last week and it was really tasty. I made the full recipe and go three large loaves out of it. We kept one loaf and the others were the perfect ” thank you ” for two friends of mine who helped me out last weekend with my daughter while we went to a wedding. One drove her all the way across town to her gymnastics class so we could attend the ceremony and the other had her over for a sleepover. Are friends great? I know mine are and I really appreciated the help. These delicious loaves came in very handy indeed.

Karen of Bake My Day! was the host for the Bread Baking Babes this month and she chose this lovely bread. I am a poor buddy who doesn’t follow due dates very well…..

For this recipe you need to start it the day before (or up to 4 days in advance if you want) since it’s one of those no/low knead doughs. The wild rice also takes about an hour to cook. I can’t believe I actually had some in the closet! It’s good stuff, I need to remember to make it more. The recipe calls for 1 cup cooked (about 1/4 uncooked) but I doubled the amount to 2 cooked cups. Other changes I made were using half whole wheat flour and also adding 3 ounces 100% starter.

Do Ahead
Combine all of the ingredients, except the egg wash, in a mixing bowl. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for 1 minute. The dough should be sticky, coarse, and shaggy. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 4 minutes, adjusting with flour or water as needed to keep the dough ball together. The dough should be soft, supple, and slightly sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. The dough will still be soft and slightly sticky but will hold together to form a soft, supple ball. Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and immediately refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)

On Baking Day
Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to bake. Shape the dough into one or more sandwich loaves, using 28 ounces (794 g) of dough for 4 1/2 by 8-inch loaf pans and 36 ounces (1.02 kg) of dough for 5 by 9-inch pans; into freestanding loaves of any size, which you can shape as bâtards, baguettes, or boules; or into rolls, using 2 ounces (56.5 g) of dough per roll. When shaping, use only as much flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. For sandwich loaves, proof the dough in greased loaf pans. For freestanding loaves and rolls, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat and proof the dough on the pan.
Mist the top of the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until increased to about 1 1/2 times its original size. In loaf pans, the dough should dome at least 1 inch above the rim. If you’d like to make the rolls more shiny, whisk the egg white and water together, brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash just before they’re ready to bake.
About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), or 300°F (149°C) for a convection oven.
Bake the loaves for 10 to 15 minutes, then rotate the pan; rotate rolls after 8 minutes. The total baking time is 45 to 55 minutes for loaves, and only 20 to 25 minutes for rolls. The bread is done when it has a rich golden color, the loaf sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom, and the internal temperature is above 185°F (85°C) in the center.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes for rolls or 1 hour for loaves before slicing.